Method of loosening parallel fiber bunches by the wet process



1,627,037 May 1927' A. KAMPF ET AL METHOD OF LOOSENING PARALLEL FIBERBUNCHES BY THE WET PROCESS Filed Oct. 16, 1925 Invehlar.

46h and Karl Gram/adder Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF LOOSENING PARALLEL FIBER BUNCHES BY THE WET PROCESS.

Application filed October 16, 1925, Serial No. 62,906, and in GermanyDecemberlS, 1924.

In recent times the tendency has arisen to replace cotton by otherspinning fibers. In particular two processes have been suggested forthis purpose: In the first place the cottonizing of certain fibrouswastematerials, hemp shives and the like which have hitherto been more orless worthless'and in the second place the manufacture of fibrousmaterial capable of being spun on cotton Ina-- chines, which is obtainedby chemical means,

\ that-is to say, in the manner of artificial silk. A special importanceis in both these cases attached to the problem of loosening theindividual fibers from'one another as completely as possible in orderthat the spinning may be carried out easily and without damaging thefibrous material.

In the cottonizing of natural fibrous waste materials use is made forthe purpose of loosening the individual fibers from one another of knowndevices-by means of which the fiber bunches coming out from betweenrollers are worked up with sharp jets of water and are thus pulled topieces. It is also comparatively expensive in providing the apparatusand in working.

The invention consists in suspending the' fiber bunches in a suitableliquid, hot soap suds for example, and this suspension is now allowed tofall freely against impact surfaces' The kinetic energy of the splashingwater is in this case also operative upon the parallel fiber bunches andthe latter are loosened. This action can be enhanced in a convenientmanner by the fact that with a suitable height of fall of thesuspension, the process is repeated as often as maybe desired. thesuspension being allowed to rush down from one impact surface to thenext in succession. The fibrous material is pref erably added to theliquid in uniform quantities at the commencement of the downward flow.In this way the risk is obviated of certain quantities of fiberprematurely floating free from one another and encircling the fiberbunches like a net, which leads to an irregular loosenin The fibrousmaterial is finall taken out, centrifuged or squeezed and ried.

The process is characterized by the fact that it is particularly welladapted for the treatment of artificial fibers.

In the accompanying drawing a piece of apparatus suitable for caryingout the process is dia rammatically illustrated by way of exam'p e.

The fibrous material passes through a cutting device a on to a conveyingband I), which brings the material to the upper mouth of a. tower d. At0 the liquid, for example soap suds, enters and flows together with thefibrous material into the tower and on to the impact surfaces one afteranother. At f the fibrous material treated enters for example ahydroextractor g.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is:,

1. A method of loosening parallel fiber bunches by the wet process,comprising suspending said fiber bunches in a suitable liquid andletting the suspension fall freely against impact surfaces.

'2. A method of loosening parallel fiber bunches by the wet process,comprisin suspending said fiber bunches in a suitable liquid and lettingthe suspension fall freely and repeatedly against impact surfaces.

A method of loosening parallel fiber bunchesby the wet process,comprising suspending sa'id fiber bunches in sea suds and letting thesuspension fall free y against impact surfaces.

4. A 'method of loosening parallel fiber bunches by the wet process,comprisin sus pending said fiber bunches in soap suds and letting thesuspension fall freely and re peatedly against impact surfaces as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

DR. ADOLF KAMpF. KARL GRUNEWALDER.

